What do you say about this statement from an American mechanic regarding a broken timing belt and the subsequent reparation. The guy has undeniably experience and knowledge of it.

“Volvo 850, S70, V70, C70 & V70-XC Forum (1992-2000)

I just can't take it anymore. I have been a member of this forum for a while and everytime the topic of a timing belt comes up, the ususal suspects proclaim that a broken belt means the end of an engine or the head is "destroyed" and requires purchasing a new or rebuilt head.

While a broken timing belt is bad and costs a lot more money than it would have cost to maintain the belt, it is by no means, a catastrophe or the end of the engine.

The only thing that happens when a timing belt breaks is a few valves get bent. This is not that big a deal! The valves for this car are relatively cheap at $10-15 a piece. In 1992 I bought a 1987 Porsche 928S which was a 32 valve V8 that had a broken belt. The intake valves were $48 each and the exhaust valves were $76 each and the headgasket set was $315 per bank. Now that was a catastrophe! Only one intake valve was unbent. I had to buy the other 31 valves.

All that is required is a valve spring compressor and a piece of 1/2in pvc pipe with a slot cut out to reach into and get the valve locks out. Put in the new valves, re-lap the valves with a drill or a grinding stick with suction cup and fine grinding material.

For those who might think that there are special procedures or something different because this car is a Volvo, think again, there is nothing different or difficult. Because of the automatic tensioner, it is actually one of the easiest engines to put a belt on. The Porsche 928S-S4 , GTS and 944/944Turbo are the most difficult which requires the use of a special belt tensioning tool(p9201). The Porsche 928's are so critical to have the timing belt at a particular tension that they are one of the only cars that have a timing belt tension light on the instrument cluster.

The Volvo engine is as simple as a Toyota or Nissan and is nothing to marvel at or be afraid of.”

As long as the pistons don't get to much damage the statement above is usually correct. Valves bend kind of easy. And how many that will bend depends och how much the engine is revving at the time the belt snaps. But if a valve breaks and the "plate" fall in to the cylinder it can cause so much damage that the economical way out of the situation is a new engine. And in some cases it is easier or more economical to get another engine, but that has to be decided on a case-to-case basis as a lot of things needs to be considered.

That mechanic maybe live in a wonder world or he/she hasnt seen a broken valve who was sent down the cylinder and crashed with the piston/s.That cost a lot of money to repair in a garage.In a telly show who i reminds had the name wheeler dealers they repaired a Porsche 928 and told people that if the timing belt broke on that engine it was usually bye bye money in the wallet for a expensive engine repair.Have a nice day.